


Graystripe's Heart (A Ficlet Collection)

by lights_of_lisbon



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Character Study, Ficlet Collection, Friendship, Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-03
Packaged: 2020-02-18 13:25:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18700495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lights_of_lisbon/pseuds/lights_of_lisbon
Summary: Graystripe has led a long, eventful life. This is a collection of ficlets to fill in the gaps in his story. Insight into his loves, his hardships, and his friendships. Will be updated as I write more.





	Graystripe's Heart (A Ficlet Collection)

“Take that, ShadowClan scum!” Graykit yowled in surprise as he was tackled and pinned down. He squirmed helplessly as kit-sharp claws pricked him through his thick fur.

“Let me up, you great lump!” He meowed playfully. The weight vanished from his shoulders and Graykit clambered to his paws. Ravenkit watched on with amusement dancing in his green eyes and his white-tipped tail twitching in satisfaction as Graykit shook the dust from his fluffy gray pelt.

“If you were a real ShadowClan warrior you wouldn’t have stood a chance!” Ravenkit crowed proudly.

Graykit wrinkled his nose, “Why do I always have to be the enemy? I don’t want to be a stinky ShadowClan cat anymore!” Ravenkit nudged him, “Let’s go find Sandkit and Dustkit so we can play a proper game. You can be leader and I’ll be the deputy!” Graykit brightened at that and happily followed Ravenkit as they began their search of the camp.

The two kits trotted across the mostly empty clearing. They pass Halftail and Rosetail drowsing in a patch of warm sunlight while Longpaw dragged a pile of stale bedding out of the elder’s den.

“Hey, Longpaw!” Graykit called, “Have you seen Dustkit and Sandkit?” Longpaw twitched his ear to dislodge an errant scrap of moss.

“Do I look like I a kitsitter?” he replied irritably, “I still have to finish changing the elder’s bedding and then Redtail wants me on the evening border patrol. I don’t have time to watch a couple of meddlesome kits.” Graykit knew that, as the only apprentice in the clan, Longpaw was run off his paws keeping up with all the apprentice tasks, but privately he thought that that didn’t excuse Longpaw’s perpetual crankiness. _Although if Darkstripe was my mentor I would probably be grumpy, too._

“Sorry to bother you,” Graykit mumbled as he hurried after Ravenkit, missing the sympathetic look that Rosetail cast after him.

Robinwing looked up from the mouse she was sharing with Brindleface as Graykit and Ravenkit approached the nursery. She purred happily as Ravenkit threw himself at her, tucking himself snugly against her side, “Well, hello my little chick, are you and Graykit done playing?”

Ravenkit turned pleading eyes on his mother, “No, we’re looking for Sandkit and Dustkit so we can play invasion, have you seen them?”

Robinwing gave him an affectionate lick on the head before answering, “Willowpelt took them out to collect fresh moss.”

“But they’re not apprentices yet!” Graykit exclaimed jealously, “Why are they allowed to leave camp?”

Brindleface spoke up, “They were helping us clean out the nursery and we thought it would be good experience for them to go out to collect fresh bedding as well. They only went to the bottom of the ravine.”

“We could have helped, too!” Ravenkit chimed in, and Graykit mewed his agreement.

“We didn’t want to interrupt your game,” Robinwing said gently, “Besides, if you were out in the forest who would be here to snuggle with me?” Ravenkit squealed in delight as his mother pulled him close and covered his face in licks.

Brindleface’s ears pricked towards the camp entrance and Graykit turned to see what had caught her attention. Whitestorm was squeezing through the thorn tunnel with Mousefur and Darkstripe close behind. Each warrior was laden with fresh-kill, and behind them trotted Dustkit and Sandkit while Willowpelt brought up the rear. All three were loaded down with moss. Graykit darted off to greet the returning cats, kicking up a puff of dust as he skidded to a halt in front of the hunting patrol.

“Watch it, kit!” Darkstripe snarled as Graykit narrowly missed plowing into the dark tabby warrior.

“Sorry!” Graykit flattened his ears in apology before turning his attention to Whitestorm, “Wow! That’s a lot of prey! When I’m a warrior, I’m going to catch twice that much on every patrol!”

“Not likely,” Darkstripe snorted, “You’re as clumsy as a badger in a bird’s nest.”

“Who asked you, _Dirtstripe?_ ” Graykit shot back. Darkstripe hissed furiously, taking a threatening step towards the defiant kit.

“Darkstripe, that’s enough!” Whitestorm ordered, casting the younger warrior a stern look before turning his yellow gaze on Graykit. “Graykit, you should have more respect for your clanmates, and especially for a senior warrior. I think you owe Darkstripe an apology.”

“Sorry,” Graykit mumbled, scuffing the ground sheepishly. He sure was getting tired of apologizing.

Whitestorm gave a small nod and then swung his head back towards Darkstripe, “And Darkstripe, as a mentor you should know better than to taunt a young cat like that. You should be encouraging his enthusiasm, not insulting him.” Darkstripe’s smug look dissolved into an expression of disbelief, which quickly turned to quiet fury before he snatched up his catch and stalked away.

Graykit’s guilt about disappointing Whitestorm was overshadowed by his delight at seeing Darkstripe publicly reprimanded, and he struggled to mask his glee with a proper look of contrition.

“I’ve never seen anyone stand up to Darkstripe like that!” Ravenkit had escaped Robinwing’s clutches and was now pressing himself against Graykit’s side, gazing at him with a look of mingled awe and admiration.

Mousefur shook her head and followed Darkstripe to deposit her catch on the fresh-kill pile, her whiskers twitching in suppressed amusement. Willowpelt had joined them at this point and cast a sad look at Darkstripe’s retreating back. Graykit knew that his mother hated to see her kits fight and felt guilt engulf him again. _It isn’t my fault that Darkstripe is such a fox-heart!_

“Thank you for dealing with those two, Whitestorm,” Willowpelt gave her mate a grateful nuzzle. Whitestorm licked her cheek in return before turning her attention to her kit.

“Graykit, you act like you were raised in a den of foxes!” she scolded.

Whitestorm purred, “Don’t be too hard on him, he’s brave and eager to serve his clan. Maturity will come with time. His mentor will definitely have their paws full!”

“StarClan grant them strength!” Willowpelt responded, her meow quivering with barely-concealed laughter.

Whitestorm bade goodbye before picking up his catch and padding off after the rest of the hunting party. Graykit peeked up at Willowpelt, unsure if he was about to be rebuked again. But his mother’s gaze was full of love and she merely gave him a tender lick on the head before sending the pair off to help Sandkit and Dustkit bring in the rest of the moss.

Their denmates were chattering together excitedly when Ravenkit and Graykit reached them. They were sitting next to a pile of moss still alive with the sharp green scent of the forest and only looked up when the two drew up next to them.

“Do you need help taking this to the nursery?” Graykit offered.

“I suppose you can help us,” Sandkit sniffed, “after all, carrying moss is _kit work._ ”

“You’re still a kit, too!” Graykit rebutted hotly. _She leaves camp once and thinks she’s Clan leader!_

“Yeah, but we get to leave camp to do apprentice tasks, which practically makes us ‘paws already,” Dustkit chipped in, puffing his chest out importantly.

Ravenkit rolled his eyes, “We’re the same age, Dustkit.”

Dustkit scowled, “Yeah, well, you’re such a mouse-heart it’ll probably be _ages_ before Bluestar gives you a mentor.”

“That’s not true!” Graykit protested loyally, “Ravenkit is braver than a whole patrol of StarClan warriors! We’ll be the best apprentices the Clans have ever seen!” Dustkit gave a disbelieving snort but didn’t bother to respond. He and Sandkit each grabbed a bundle of moss and set off toward the nursery.

Ravenkit was quietly studying the ground. Graykit gave him a friendly nudge, “Don’t listen to those flea-pelts, they always act like their dirt doesn’t stink.” Ravenkit looked up and Graykit was surprised by the emotion he saw glistening in those green depths.

Ravenkit’s voice was trembling as he asked, “Did you mean that? Do you really think I’m brave?”

Graykit couldn’t keep the surprise out of his voice, “Of course I did. You’re my best friend; there’s no other cat I’d rather have by my side.” Ravenkit managed a strangled purr at Graykit’s words.

“If I have any bravery in me at all it’s only because I have you as my friend.” Now Graykit found himself choking up.

Graykit licked Ravenkit’s shoulder encouragingly, “C’mon, let’s get this bedding into the nursery. Be careful, we wouldn’t want any thorns to ‘accidently’ find their way into Sandkit and Dustkit’s nests.” Ravenkit _mrowed_ with laughter and followed after Graykit.

**Author's Note:**

> Graykit calling Darkstripe "Dirtstripe" 100% came from silverhawk's headcanon that Graystripe has called him Stinkstripe since kithood. I think that is hilarious and I absolutely had to incorporate it into my fic. Btw silverhawk's new blog is brackenfur.tumblr.com you should check it out he's the best!  
> Warriors was my very first fandom and I am so happy to finally create content for such wonderful people again! I have always had such a soft spot for Graystripe and I hope that you guys enjoy my take on him.


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